


The Red Room

by Undead_Immortals



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jason goes through a lot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Torture, drugged
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 05:36:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20791484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Undead_Immortals/pseuds/Undead_Immortals
Summary: Jason Todd goes on a solo mission to try and take down a serial killer who tortures and streams his kills. He doesn't realize he's in over his head until it's far too late.





	The Red Room

**Author's Note:**

> This story will deal with some bad topics. This chapter is only the beginning of the pain for Jason. Later chapters will deal with the aftermaths and such.

“IP Address searching… Come on, I know you’re out there, you bastard.” Jason muttered to himself. The young Robin had been on this murderers trail for months. The people who got in the clutches of this horrid character were found disfigured and tortured beyond recognition. But that wasn't even the worst of it, unfortunately. The man behind those murders streamed everything live to an audience of sickos who enjoy seeing people get beaten to death.

A Red Room, it’s called. A hidden site on the deep web where people go to watch victims get skinned, mutilated, beaten, raped, burned, drowned, and everything in between. To get access to the site you have to find it first, then pay thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. Then you’re in. You can pay additional sums to request a specific thing done to the poor soul bound and in front of the camera as well.

Jason managed to find the specific online room that his murderer, a room master as he was called, was using. He always had a new victim ready every week but he relocated so often that it was impossible to pinpoint him before or after a ‘show’. No, Jason had to find him while he was active. Which meant he had to get the address while someone was dying by his hands. It made the young Robin sick but it was all he could do to try and stop this madman.

Batman hadn’t even gotten close to cracking this case. No name, no nationality, no home, no nothing he knew of the guy. This could very well be the only time they could catch him.

But Bruce didn’t know Jason had found the online room… No, Jason was suspended due to an incident on patrol a few days earlier. He wasn’t even supposed to be in the cave either but that hadn’t stopped the boy to use the skills that he was taught in the cave to break into it. He just wanted to catch this bastard! And maybe show Batman that he could handle the field again.

So, when the horrendous acts started and the woman started screaming, Jason muted the computer and put on a different screen, just focusing on the address being slowly deciphered as she was being brutally tortured. He wished he could do something about it but he knew he couldn’t. He had to know where the killer was in order to stop him. Didn’t make it any easier though…

Slowly but surely, Jason managed to get the place to look for. If he was fast he might get there in time to actually capture the bastard and put him down for good. He tried contacting Bruce, but he just couldn’t get his mentor on the communication. He was still on patrol and maybe something happened that caused him to lose contact.

Jason knew he couldn’t wait for Bruce to get to the cave. The murderer would definitely get away if he didn’t go right now, so he didn’t hesitate. He suited up and he went to his bike, rushing to the empty apartment complex where the killing took place. He knew he was too late to save the woman, but he could at least catch her killer and put him in jail to rot forever.

It wasn’t too long till the young Robin had found the building. It was rundown and it would be demolished within the month. The walls were cracked and the windows were broken. No habitable houses anywhere near either. The perfect, secluded murder location. Jason was lucky it was in Gotham, this killer has been active all over the country and if he needed to head to another city, then the chance of the killer escaping would be a lot higher.

Jason got off his bike and silently walked to the door that used to be boarded up, but a few planks were missing causing a gap big enough to walk through without much trouble. A few drops of blood were on the wall of the entrance and Jason didn’t need to investigate them to see that they were recent. A few hours at most. Definitely the recent victim’s.

A sudden, death-filled scream cut through the silent building like a bullet shot in crime alley, strong and with the promise of a horrendous sight if you were to follow the sound.

Jason swallowed nervously. He recognized the voice as that of the woman, from right before he muted it. It sounded so strained and pained. He didn’t want to think about it but he knew deep inside that it was her last breath. He couldn’t save her, but he would avenge her.

Swallowing the lump away that had formed in his throat, he snuck around the apartment complex. He could stop this once and for all and he wouldn’t let his hesitation or fear get in the way of what was right. Of what he needed to do.

He walked up the stairs, who creaked slightly under the pressure of his feet. Not enough to get him noticed, at least he hoped that it didn’t. He reached the top of the stairs and saw some lights coming from the last room on the left hall. What he also noticed were sounds coming from that room. A slash and thud that could be compared to the sound that would be heard in a butcher’s shop.

And then again, and again, and again. The sound was repeated a dozen or so times before Jason got to the door. He checked his communicator but he still couldn’t get hold of Batman. He would have to go in alone or let this bastard getaway. The decision was quickly made. He could try to tail him but that brought a whole new set of risks he wasn't willing to take. 

No, it was now or never. 

The door was closed and Robin knew that a surprise attack would be difficult to pull off because of it. Slowly he laid his hand on the rusted handle, took out a birdarang with his free hand, and he took a last, nervous breath before he pulled it down and entered the room.

The sight that he was greeted with was so much worse than he could ever have expected. The woman was cut to pieces, explaining the sound head heard. Blood decorated the walls and floor in a crimson coat accompanied by the stench of iron and bodily fluids.

A man turned around, surprised by the sudden intrusion to what he had thought to be a secluded and hidden location. A darker-skinned figure with scars making his face unmistakably easy to identify, the mask he normally wears during his streams was on the table next to medical equipment that was the same shade of red as the rest of the room. The meat-cleaver in his hand dripping with blood and bits of intestines.

Jason threw his weapon at his weapon-wielding hand, causing him to drop the cleaver. It landed on the bare torso of the woman, sticking up in the flesh.

“Well… not the nicest way to say hello to someone, is it?” The killer said as he rubbed his hand that had a small cut in it now, thanks to the weapon that was thrown by the other.

Jason couldn’t believe it… this animal had murdered an innocent woman and dared to make light of the situation like this. It made his blood boil and his hands turned to tight fists in the gloves. He was going to beat him till an inch of his life.

“You’re Robin, right? Does that mean that Batman is coming here as well?” He asked and looked around the room for a moment. Jason took the opportunity to attack the room master, rushing at him to kick his chest and get him to the ground. That was the plan at least.

However, it didn’t go as easy as Robin might have hoped it would. The killer flashed a predatory smirk and grabbed his leg, slamming the young bird to the ground with a thud and a groan. Okay… so he knew how to fight. Then Jason could really go all out against him.

But the killer didn’t even allow Jason to get back up to his feet. He slammed his foot against the kid’s chest. Jason grunted at the impact and was glad that his armor absorbed most of the hit. He was sure that otherwise, the chance of him having a broken rib would be rather high.

“No Bat? Is the little bird all alone? Well well well… This is a rather rare opportunity for me then.” He kicked Robin again and put his hand in his long doctor’s coat that might have been white at one point in time but that would have been a while back. 

Jason managed to push himself up to his feet and went for a strike against the man’s jaw without a moment to spare. However, the room master took his hand from his pocket and Jason felt a sharp pain in his neck as his hand connected with the jaw of that bastard.

The man stumbled back but quickly regained his footing as he watched the young Robin with an amused look.

Jason ran a hand over his neck and looked at what the killer was holding. His shock and distress were visible as he saw a small syringe in the man’s gloved hands. That couldn’t be good. Not good at all.

“What the hell did you put in me?... " He asked with worry lacing every word. A serial torturer and murderer just injected him with god who knows what.

"Oh don't worry. Just a mild sedative. I wouldn't dare hurt you before I get everything set up. That would just be bad business for me." He explained with a smile that was too kind for the pain his words promised.

Jason felt his body slowly growing weaker, his limbs getting heavier with each breath that escaped his lungs. He desperately tried to press his distress signal but as he tried to reach for it with his nearly immovable hand, fingers wrapped around his wrist. The man gave a shake of his head.

“Just close your eyes...You’ll wake up, I promise. So sleep, young man.” He said and Jason couldn't stay awake. His entire body feeling like he’d run a dozen marathons but his mind all too aware that he should fight it. That this was going to end badly. 

But his body won. Jason’s eyes fell closed and everything went blank. Not a sound nor a touch could wake him up anymore. At the mercy of a murderer with no one knowing where he was.

Slowly but surely after minutes or maybe hours, it was hard to guess, Jason opened his eyes again. Memories flooded back and immediately he tried to orient himself, causing him to notice quickly that his hands were tied high above his head to a large hook on the ceiling. 

His pupils shrank in fear as he immediately started looking around. The same room as from before. The body of the woman nowhere in sight, but the killer was. Brandishing a mask as dark as his soul with a single red eye in the middle of it. It caused a shiver to go up Jason's spine. 

“Let me go, you bastard!” Jason growled but the room master shook his head simply as he went to the camera in the room that was aimed for Jason. He cleaned the lens, making sure everything was set up properly while ignoring Robin’s continuous yells.

Then a small red light came from the camera, signaling it was recording. Jason’s heart sank to his gut as he realized what was going to happen. A monitor showed what was being broadcasted as well as a chatbox and a number that was quickly growing into the thousands. It must be the money spend by the people wanting to view the next victim. Jason was the unlucky one this time.

A ping caused Jason to look up at the monitor. A message.

‘So soon?’

The killer gave a nod and motioned to Robin’s R-shaped logo on his chest. He never did talk during the streams.

This was happening, wasn’t it? Jason would get killed while people paid to watch it happen. He needed to get out, needed to focus and use the training Bruce had put him through to get out.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down a little as he tried to see which link of the chains around his wrists was the weakest. The one he might be able to break. But before he could do anything else, another ping.

‘Unmask him.’ - Donated $350 for request.

Without a moment to spare, the room master walked to the chained Robin and pulled his mask off, leaving him exposed to whoever was watching. Jason shook his head and closed his eyes quickly. His face in full view. Every freckle or blemish bared to the world. His identity was gone forever. This couldn’t be happening.

That’s how it started. Jason couldn’t focus on escaping because every ping meant another request to hurt or humiliate him. He would commend them on the creativity of the pain if it wasn’t absolutely despicable and horrible to experience it.

A few hits with a crowbar to his face was the second request. The blunt pain caused blood to well up in his mouth. He spat it out and glared daggers at the man who hurt him. He could already feel the bruises started to form on his cheek. Too bad it didn’t end there. That would have been mercy.

Another ping and Jason’s armor was destroyed. Leaving him truly vulnerable and exposed to the world. Without his tools or armor to take the brunt of the hits, Jason feared that escaping now would be near impossible. Before he could think too much about this though, another ping came from the screen.

‘Burn his chest’ - Donated $875 for request.

The hissing of a blowtorch entered Jason’s ears right before the pain hit him. He screamed in bloody agony as the flesh on his chest was burning and scorching. The scent of his burnt skin the most disgusting thing he had ever smelled and the pain added to that caused Jason to feel nauseous. He didn’t know how long it had lasted but when the torch was finally taken away from his chest, there was an ugly and deep burned mark, sizzling at the heat it still gave off.

Tears were streaming down Jason’s cheeks. His throat sore from the screaming, but not yet sore enough to stop him from pleading.  
“Please… Please stop…” He begged and pleaded. He knew well enough that it didn’t matter what he said, but he needed to try it nonetheless. This was just the beginning, and he wouldn’t be able to handle what else was to come.

A ping rang through the room but Jason didn’t look away from his captive though. He would look right at him to try and brace himself for what was to come. That turned out to be a mistake.

When the killer took a knife, Jason assumed he was going to get stabbed or cut a few times. It would hurt but he had dealt with worse during some nasty patrols. So he simply tried to keep his heartbeat low in an effort to keep himself from bleeding too much from the wounds to come. But the world would never allow him something that easy. No… the knife was brought up to Jason’s clenched fists as a gloved hand went and forcefully separated a ring finger from the rest others. The large and almost shining blade of the knife was put against the base of the finger before slowly, agonizingly slowly, it started cutting through the skin and muscles till it reached the bone. All the while Jason was holding back a scream. He’d be damned before he gave those bastards any more satisfaction in hurting him.

Then the knife was brought down and a bone saw came in its place. Jason tried to clench his fist tighter to keep his finger but the muscles were already severed and even attempting to move it caused him excruciating pain.

The bone saw was put against the visible bone before the killer started to slowly and very evenly started sawing off the finger.

This time Jason did scream. He’d never felt a pain so weird and unnerving as this and it hurt so...so much. “Stop! Please stop!...” His eyes shut tightly as tears slipped down his cheeks and onto the cold and bloodied floor. He heard a soft ‘thud’ on the ground and he slowly opened his eyes to see what it was. It felt like a punch to his gut when he saw his finger, bleeding and red, laying there on the ground.

He couldn’t keep it in and threw up. The pain, nausea, and the sights just became too much for him to bear. He groaned, feeling even sicker than before. He didn’t even have time to take a breather before the sharp knife went and sliced at his stomach, his arms, his legs, his back, and even his face. Flaying the skin on some points and others just slicing the flesh to see more blood. There wasn’t an inch of skin unmarked by blood, wound, or puke. It was degrading. 

Another ping. Another new way to experience pain. Jason did look to read it this time. Not wanting to be caught by surprise again. Puffy, red eyes looking past the tears to see the screen. As soon as he read it though, he wished that he hadn’t. With renewed energy born out of fear and desperation, Jason fought against the restraints as he begged for mercy. Pleaded for the other to stop. To inflict any other pain. Just anything but that.

It didn’t work.  
of course, it didn’t.

Everything after that request felt worse. So much worse. It felt more humiliating, more exposing, more painful. The fighting spirit had left the boy and all that was left was a near-empty husk. A doll that would scream when you hurt it, but wouldn't otherwise do anything. He gave up. All he wanted now was for it to end.

It was still a long night though. His flesh was pierced by nails, his flayed skin being forced to him that caused him to puke again. The taste was sickening. It just kept going and going. And with the small sliver of a fight, the last breaths of deviance, he called out for anyone to help him. To save him from all this pain or to just put a bullet through his head. He rather had the latter option.

The blood loss was getting to him now. He couldn’t keep his tired eyes open anymore and his senses were dulled so much that he could barely hear anything anymore.

The chains that were holding his body up were loosened by the killer until Jason fell to the ground in a pool of blood, puke, and other bodily fluids. He barely noticed it though. The aching of his shoulders who had been pulled above him so long was the only thing he noticed.

A sharp and sudden pain came to his stomach. He knew without having to see it that it was a knife stabbed through his gut. It left his body before the blade came down on his chest, piercing his heart.

Jason would have screamed or fought back if he didn’t want to die. But death seemed like such a nice release right now. If he died, then nothing could hurt him anymore. He’d be happy to have the darkness overtake his senses.

With the last breath he had, the faintest whisper of a word, he spoke: “I’m sorry, B.”

That was it. The boy who just wanted to prove himself laid dead on the floor of an abandoned building. His killer went to grab his clever to cut up the corpse but before he could, he heard the sounds of the Batmobile outside. No time, unfortunately, He had to get going. He left his equipment and left the building through a back entrance before Batman could enter through the apartment door.

“Robin… No!” The dark knight rushed to the young hero and wrapped his arms around him, feeling for a heartbeat that wasn’t there. The boy already felt cold to the touch. He was too late… far too late.

When he had entered the cave and he had seen the computer on, he already knew something was up. But when he saw the IP address and the Red Room stream opened... god he should have been faster. If he was, then Jason would have been alive and probably making a joke about how Bruce had taken his time to get here.

“I’m sorry, Jason… I’m so sorry…” Slowly, he lifted his son in his arms and walked out of the room. Jason didn’t deserve to die like this. He didn’t deserve to die at all. He was such a passionate and eager kid. Only wanting to do good.

Bruce swore that he’d find whoever was responsible and drag them through hell and back.

But first, he needed to give his son the burial he deserved. And for the first time in ages, Batman shed a tear.

His soldier, his son. His fault.


End file.
